Machines for applying a uniform coating



Oct. 10, 1961 G. v. sPRAGuE, JR

MACHINES Fox APPLYING A UNIFORM coATING Filed March 16. 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. l0, 1961 G. v. sPRAGuE, JR 3,003,459

MACHINES FOR APPLYING A UNIFORM comme Filed March 16, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ffy. 2

Oct. 10, 1961 G. v. sPRAGUE, JR

MACHINES FOR APPLYING A UNIFORM comme Filed March 16, 1959 s sheets-sheet s MACHINES FOR This invention relates generally to coating apparatus and more particularly to apparatus used in the manufacture of shoes for applying a uniform stripe of coating material to the margin of irregularly curved work pieces.

In the manufacture of certain types of shoes in which the outsole is secured to the shoe bottom by cement it is a common practice to apply a coating of cement to the attaching face of an outsole. This cement is usually applied in the form of a marginal stripe which may not extend fully to the edge of the sole. This coating 'is usually allowed to dry Ias the soles are accumulated prior to the time when they are needed for incorporation in shoes. Usually, the shoe bottom is also provided with a stripe of cement. Just before the outsole is to be applied to the shoe bottom, the cement coating on the outsole is activated by the application of heat or of a suitable solvent whereupon the shoe and outsole are combined and securely held in place until the cement has dried sufficiently to secure the outsole properly in place on the shoe.

For the purposes of illustration the present invention is directed to the application of a stripe of cement to an outsole and is illustrated as embodied in a machine of the type shown in LettersPatent of the United States No. 2,073,647, granted March 16, 1937 on the application of C. A. Newhall. This machine is adaptedto extrude cement from a nozzle onto the margin of the outsole as it is fed automatically in continually changing curved paths. When the work is fed in a convexly curved path, such as around the toe or heel ends, it is apparent that the outside edge of the sole has a greater rate of movement than the inner portion closer to the turning point. By the same token when moving in a concavely curved path the outside edge of the work is closer to the turning point and hence has the lesser rate of movement. Since the ow of cement from the nozzle is substantially uniform across its width the cement tends to pile up n the inside of the curve where the least movement occurs and is deposited in lesser quantity on the outside of the curve where the greatest travel occurs. Thus, when sufficient cement is applied to the areas of greatest travel, the cement is deposited in excessive amounts on the areas of least travel.. This condition is most apparent at the toe and heel portions of the sole where the cement forms puddles at the inside edge of the stripe of cement. This condition is not only wasteful of cement but it also results in an excessively long drying time before the soles may Ibe handled.

Accordingly, it is a feature of the invention to provide improved coating apparatus which overcomes the above objections. To this end, provision :is made for varying the rate of extrusion of material across the width of the nozzle depending on thercurvature of the work as it is fed past the nozzle.

According to lanother feature of the invention, the nozzle is provided with a plurality of outlets each of which has associated therewith `an individual metering valve. All the valves are arranged to Abe adjusted in unison to vary the flow of material differentially from each individual outlet in proportional amounts so that the dow of material from the nozzle may be varied across its width.

According to a further feature of the invention, guide Patented Get.. I0, 1961 means are provided for positioning the edge of the work piece relative to the nozzle so that a stripe of cement is applied uniformly to the margin of the work piece. This feature also provides for means associ-ated with the guide means for sensing the direction and degree of curvature of the edge of the work together with means controlled by the sensing means for adjusting the valves in accordance with the curvature of'the work so that material flows at a greater Anate Yfrom that portion of the nozzle which deposits material on the area of the work having the greatest rate of travel.

While the invention is illustrated as applied to apparatus for applying cement to the shoe parts of sheet material it should be understood that the principles involved are equally applicable to work in which the surface to be coated does not lie in a single plane, such for example, as in coating a shoe bottom.

The above yand other features of the invention together with novel details of construction will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is -a perspective View of the principal operating parts of a cementing machine to which the invent-ion is applied;

FIG.12 is a plan view with parts broken away to illustrate the nozzle adjusting mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a section on line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the sole gaging and guiding journaled in a movable arm 28 which is arranged to be raised upon actuation of a treadle (not shown) so as to raise a sole placed on the roll into engagement with the upper feed roll 2li. Another supporting roll 30 is freely rotatable in a bracket 32. pivoted on the arm 2S and held at the desired level as determined by a stop screw 34 by means of a spring 36. The bracket 32 is also used to support a -work table 38.

The path of movement of a sole S (FIG. 4) presented to the machine by means of the above feed rolls is determined by a gage of the type described in the above patent and comprises a roll 46 which is engaged by the edge of the sole, a succeeding roll 48 and underlying ngers 50. The oblique relation of the gage rolls 46 and 4S with respect to the feed roll Ztl provides a line of feed which makes the feeding of the sole substantially automatic by virtue of the cross feed action of the feed roll positioned between and behind the gage rolls and having a component of feeding force which constantly urges .the edge of the sole against the rolls.

The application of a stripe 51 of cement to the margin of the sole S is effected by an elongated nozzle 52 which applies cement delivered to the nozzle under pressure by means of a pump in a manner fully described in the above patent. The passage for the cement includes a iiexible tube 60 and a shut-off valve 62. The nozzle is formed the previously mentioned treadle which acts through arock shaft '72 joined to the shut-oif valve by means of a connecting rod 76 which includes universal joints so as not to interfere with the up and down movement of the nozzle. Since depression of the treadle raises the arm 28 to initiate the feed of the work piece, as previously noted, the treadle connections are also arranged to rock the shaft 72 to open the valve 62 so that the cement flow is started when the work is raised into engagement with the nozzle. So that the stripe 51 of cement will be substantially uniform in width and spacing from ythe periphery of the sole, the nozzle is positioned closely adjacent the contact point between the sole and the `gage roll 48, as seen in FIG. 4. The nozzle is provided with a plurality of outlets 80 which are disposed in a row which makes an angle less than a right angle with the direction of feed so that the stripe applied to the work piece will be of substantially uniform width.

As seen in FIG. 3, the outlets 80 of the nozzle are connected by individual passageways 82 and a common passageway 84 to a chamber 86 in the block 87. Cement under pressure is supplied to the chamber from the valve 62 by a short pipe 88 and a passage 90. For controlling the rate of extrusion from each individual outlet, each passageway S2 has associated therewith an individual rod 92 which is pointed at its lower end to cooperate with the upper end of the passageway to form a valve. At their upper ends each of the rods have xed thereto cross pins 94 which are received in slots 96 formed in two parallel arms 98. The arms are joined by a web 100 so as to move in unison and are pivoted at their left ends, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, on a pin 102 in the block 87. When the arms 98 assume a horizontal position as seen in FIG. 3, the valve rods 92 are equally spaced from the upper ends of the passageways S2 so that cement is extruded at equal rates from each of the outlets 80. When the arms 98 are swung up about the pin 102 each of the rods 92 are raised proportionally diierent amounts with the greatest movement being imparted to the rod at the right side of the nozzle. The first rod at the left side of the nozzle, however, is not moved since the pin 102 iixes its position. Thus, upward movement of the arms 9S increases the rate of extrusion from the outlets at the right side of the nozzle. When the arms 9S are moved down, the rods 92 are moved down to decrease the flow of cement uniformly toward the right across the Width of the nozzle. The iiow of cement from the left side of the nozzle remains substantially constant since this part of the nozzle is close to the gage roll 48 and feed rolls 20 and 22 and hence deposits cement on the portion of the work having a nearly constant rate of movement.

The right end of the arms 98 are provided with slots 104 which receive an eccentric pin 106 formed at one end of a rock shaft 108 journaled in and extending through a portion of the block 87. As seen in FIG. 2, the shaft at its forward end has iixed thereto an arm 110 which is connected by a link 112 to one arm of a bell crank 114 fulcrumed on a bracket 116 carried by the tiltable arm 64. The other arm of the bell crank is connected by a link 118 to the upper end of a feeler lever 120. This lever is fixed to a split block 122 by means of a screw 124. The block is pivotally mounted on a headed pin 126 carried by a bracket 128 fixed to the arm 28 which carries the lower feed roll 22. The lower end of the lever 12.0 forms a feeler 130 which is disposed between the gage rolls 46 and 48 in a position to engage the edge of the outsole as it is guided by the rolls. The feeler is biased to the right, as seen in FIG. l, by a spring pressed plunger 132 which is mounted in the bracket 116 and which urges the bell crank 114 in a counterclockwise direction.

Referring to FIG. 4, it may be seen that when a convexly curved portion of the ou-tsole, such as the toe end, is being fed past the rolls 46 and 48 the feeler 130 is moved to the rear swinging the feeler lever 120 about the pin 126 in a clockwise direction and through the link 118, bell crank 114 and link 112 moves the arm 110 down. Downward movement of the arm 1.10 acts through the shaft 108 and eccentric pin 106 to move the larms 98 down. This movement causes the valve rods 92 to be adjusted downwardly to decrease the flow of cement being extruded from the outlets toward the right side of the nozzle. Thus, when a convexly curved portion of the work is fed past the nozzle, as seen in FIG. 4, the ow of cement from the point of the nozzle nearest the turning point of the work is decreased, thus causing the stripe of cement deposited on the work to be uniform in thickness across the width of the stripe.

When a concavely curved portion of the work is being fed past the nozzle, as seen in FIG. 5, the feeler moves forward in following the edge of the work, thus causing the arms 98 to be raised to increase the ow of cement from the right side of the nozzle. Thus, the cement flow is increased to that part of the work having a greater speed, i.e., the part of the work farthest away from its turning point. It should be apparent from the foregoing that as the work is fed past the nozzle, the direction and degree of curvature of its edge is constantly sensed and the flow of cement across the width of the nozzle is automatically adjusted in accordance therewith.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for coating the margin of a work piece having an irregularly curved contour, a nozzle for depositing coating material on the work piece, means for guiding the edge of the work piece relative to the nozzle whereby a stripe of coating material is deposited along the margin of the work piece as -it is fed, and means responsive to variations in curvature of the edge of the work piece for varying the rate of extrusion of material from the nozzle depending on the curvature of the edge of the work piece.

2. In a machine for coating the margin of a work piece having an irregularly curved contour, a nozzle for depositing coating material on the work piece, means for guiding the edge of the work piece relative to the nozzle whereby a stripe of coating material is deposited along the margin thereof, and means responsive to variations in the curvature of the edge of the work piece for varying the rate of extrusion of material from different parts of the nozzle across the Width of the stripe in accordance with the curvature of the work piece.

3. In a machine for coating the margin of a work piece having a irregularly curved contour, a nozzle for depositing coating material on the work piece, means for guiding the edge of the work piece `relative to the nozzle whereby a stripe of coating material is deposited along the margin thereof as it is fed past the nozzle, means for sensing variations in the curvature of the edge of the work piece as it is fed past the nozzle, and means controlled by the sensing means for varying the rate of extrusion of material from the nozzle in accordance with the curvature of the work piece.

4. In a machine for coating the margin of a work piece having an irregularly curved contour, a nozzle for depositing coating material on the work piece, means for guiding the edge of the work piece relative to the nozzle whereby a stripe of coating material is deposited along the margin `thereof as it is fed, means for sensing variations in the curvature of the edge of the work piece as it is fed past the nozzle, and means controlled by the sensing means for varying the rate of extrusion of material from different parts of the nozzle across `the width of the stripe depending on the curvature of the Work piece.

5. In a machine `for coating the margin of a work piece having an irregularly curved contour, a nozzle for depositing coating material on the work piece, means for guiding the edge of the work piece relative to the nozzle whereby a stripe of coating material is deposited along the margin of the work piece as it is fed past the nozzle, a plurality of valves for controlling the flow of material from different parts of the nozzle, and means responsive to variations in the curvature of the edge of the work piece for adjusting said valves differentially, for varying the ow of material from different partsof the nozzle in accordance with the contour of the Work piece.

6. In a machine for coating the margin of a work piece having an irregularly curved contour, a nozzle for depositing coating material on the work piece, means for guiding the edge of the work piece relative to the nozzle whereby a stripe of coating material is deposited along the margin of the work piece as it is fed past the nozzle, a plurality of valves for controlling the ow of material from different parts of the nozzle, means for sensing variations in the curvature of the edge of the work piece as it is fed past the nozzle, and means controlled by said sensing means for adjusting said valves differentially to vary the flow of material from different parts of the nozzle depending on the curvature of said edge.

7. In a machine for coating the margin of a work piece having an irregularly curved contour, a nozzle having a plurality of outlets for extruding a stripe of coating material along the margin of a work piece, a plurality of valves each associated with an individual outlet for controlling the flow of material therefrom, and means responsive to variations in the curvature of the edge of the work piece for adjusting said valves for differentially varying the ow of material from each outlet.

8. In a machine for coating the margin of a work piece having an irregularly curved contour, a nozzle having a plurality of outlets for extruding a stripe of coating material along the margin of a work piece, a plurality of valves each associated with an individual outlet for controlling the flow of material therefrom, means for sensing variations in the curvature of the work piece as it is fed past the nozzle, and means controlled by the sensing means -for adjusting said valves differentially to vary the tlow of material from each outlet in accordance with the contour of the work piece.

9. In a machine for coating the margin of a work piece, a nozzle for depositing coating material on the surface of a work piece, means for feeding the work piece in a path corresponding to its contour for causing a stripe of material to be deposited along the margin of the work piece, and means responsive to the variations in the feed path of the work piece for varying the ow of material from different parts of the nozzle whereby the stripe of coating material deposited on the work piece is uniform in thickness regardless of the curvature of the contour of the work piece.

l0. In a machine for coating the mar-gin of a work piece having an irregularly curved contour, a nozzle having a plurality of outlets for extruding coating material on the surface of a work piece, means for feeding the work piece past the nozzle in a path corresponding to the contour of the work piece for causing a stripe of material to be deposited along the margin of the work piece, a plurality of valves each associated with an individual outlet for controlling the flow of material therefrom, and means responsive to the variations in the feed path of the work piece for dierentially adjusting the valves in unison for l varying the flow of material from each outlet in amounts differing proportionally across the stripe of material.

l1. In a machine for coating the margin of a work piece having an irregularly curved contour, a nozzle having a plurality of outlets for extruding coating material on the surface of a work piece, means for feeding the work piece past the nozzle in a path corresponding to the contour of the work piece 'for causing a stripe of material to be deposited along the margin of the work piece, a plurality of valves each associated with an individual outlet for controlling the flow of material therefrom, means for sensing variations in the feed path of the work piece, and means controlled by the sensing means for differentially adjusting the valves in unison for varying the flow of material from each outlet in amounts differing proportionally across the stripe of material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 966,564 Koegler Aug. 9, 1910 1,523,239 Sweeney Jan. 13, 1925 2,354,216 MacKenzie July 25, 1944 2,775,952 Schur Jan. l, 1957 2,934,101 Guckel Apr. 26, 1960 

